Yipee! An Omega for an Omega.

[Eb1]

I just received my Nikon Omega Non-BDC 1.65:5x36 in the mail. I bought it at a fraction of the cost of retail. I had waited two years for the scope to become the price I could afford.

I went today to Bass Pro, and bought medium one piece Talley mounts for the Encore, and they fit great on my Omega Z5. Now the groups should go from 2 to 3 inches at 100 yards to 1.5 inches or less, but even if they don't I feel much better taking game with the rifle now.

Depending on weather I am going to the range tomorrow and sight it in. The season is over now for MG, but I am still very excited to have this scope on the rifle, and the scope has MOA turrets. Which is a nice feature.

Does anyone else have experience with the Nikon Omega? I think it is neat that the scope name matches the rifle name.

So far I have found very good accuracy with a .429 200 grain XTP and a green Hornady sabot, Winchester 777 primers, and two pellets of 50/50 777. I would like to bump the bullet to the 300 grain XTP and 130 grains of 777. Would that be to much pressure for the rifle?

 

[josmund]

130 of T7 and a 300 grain bullet will be OK ( check you owners manual ). I believe they are rated for up to 150 grain of powder.

However, most guns, including my Omega, shoot best at 100 - 110 grains of powder. More than this just beats up the shooter and cost more money.

The best advice I can give you is to ditch the pellets and shoot loose powder. You can tweak the loads and you cost to shoot will go way down.

Blackhorn 209 is even better but that's a whole new topic.

 

[Zeke/PA]

My T.C. Omega is topped with a 4x Nikon Pro-Staff and the rifle is an excellent shooter as in "around 2" at 100 yards.
I shoot a 250 grain T.C. Shock Wave over two 50 grain Pyrodex pellets.
Some Buds of mine swear by the Blackhorn 209 but as yet I haven't tried it.

 

[Eb1]

I think I'd have an issue with consistent compression of the loose powder. One time it would be more compressed than the other, and not shoot consistently. I have tried loose powder, and it did not shoot as good, but that was with a different rifle, not the Omega. I really enjoy shooting the Omega, and now that I have the scope for it, I can't wait to shoot it more.
I shoot the .429 bullets because I have a lot of them due to loading for the .44 Magnum. I don't have any .45 bullets.

Is Blackhorn 209 really that much difference? If it is, how so?

 

[Eb1]

I went to Blackhorn.com and watched the commercials. I specifically watched commercial #4, and if you look at the target at the end of the video that guy has a 6" group at 50 yards. Not much of an advertisement if you as me. Who uses this powder, and do you have better results?

http://www.blackhorn209.com/videos/

 

[Zeke/PA]

As I stated, my buddies have used it with success.
I have seen them in action, their rifles shoot very accurately and the powder is clean burning. ( no barrel swab after 4 or 5 shots necessary)

 

[josmund]

EB1,

The accuracy of BH 209 is outstanding. You will find more than enough to read about it with a quick search on any of the BP forums.

The quick download is that you don't need to swab between shots and you can use the same cleaning techniques you use for all you smokeless guns. personally, I use BC Bore Scrubber. It will give you the same power as T7 but without the crud ring.

As far as loading pressure, I don't think it's as sensitive as you think. In my Omega I just give a firm seat on the powder. I'm sure it's off a little from shot to shot. I have shot MOA with this gun. When I don't, I pretty sure it's me not the gun and load.

The downside is that it cost more than loose T7 but less than pellets.

Nothing wrong .429's. I'd suggest the Harvester Green Crushed Rib sabots. The crushed rib is for tight bores and TC guns have a reputation for tight bores. I use the black CR's for a .452 bullet.

If you're committed to pellets, I think you be better off with two but loose powder let's you adapt to what your gun likes which may be 105 grains.

 

[Eb1]

I made a mistake on the name of the sabots I am using. I am using the Harvester Green Crushed Rib sabots with a .429 200 grain XTP and two pellets of T7.

I'll give the Blackhorn a try. I have the volume measurement tool. I'll look up the load data. So with Blackhorn 209 I can use regular bore solvent, and not have rust? Water is not needed to clean the bore?

 

[josmund]

Correct. My procedure is both sides of a dry patch to clean the soot.

A couple of wet patched with Bore Scrubber or Hoppes #9, then a couple of dry patches. I then run a oil patch and store it.

I clean the BP and threads as normal. One additional tip is to use a 7/64 drill bit ( by hand ) to clean the flame channel of the BP. I do this with all powders but it's important with BH 209 as it seems to build up a little faster.

All other procedures are the same as the pellets. I do believe the max load is 120 grains by VOLUME of BH 209.